Theoretically and empirically, the project challenges the so-called short-term effects perspective that currently characterizes most research on media effects.

Media effects and citizens' beliefs

For a period of five years, the research team will study long-term media influences on citizens' beliefs on a broad range of issues, including education, health care, unemployment, antibiotic resistance and the national economy.

The project will look specifically at how beliefs about societal problems are initially formed, how they are maintained and reinforced as well as under what conditions they change both temporarily and more permanently.

"The project fits well into our research profile at the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication where we have a constructive cooperation with the SOM Institute and Lore," says Adam Shehata.

”The ambitious project is possible thanks to the great infrastructure for data collection at the University of Gothenburg”.

The project will be conducted using media content analyzes, surveys, focus groups and experiments.

In total, four people will be involved in the program, which will start in early 2019 and continue for five years.

In addition to the funding from the ERC, the VARME-program will receive 750,000 SEK per year from the Vice-chancellor at the University of Gothenburg in strategic co-financing.

The ERC Starting Grant (StG) is aimed at young researchers (2-7 years after graduation) who are ready to start an independent research group. The grant size is up to 1.5 million euro for a period of up to five years.

Competition for ERC funds is tough. This year, there were 3 170 applications and 406 project grants were accepted.